Employability Symposium

The world is changing fast. With each new technological breakthrough boundaries change and exciting career opportunities open up while others close and new norms are established. In an ever-evolving business landscape we not only need to be open to these changes but be prepared to adapt to the working environment of our future. Which industries are the most vulnerable to technological change? What are the potential growth sectors? And how do we train our future workforce for the careers that don’t yet exist?

The Gold Coast Employability Symposium will enhance your understanding of the future of work and how it will impact on the Gold Coast while exploring new initiatives and innovative ideas to plan for the future and realise your potential opportunities. Join us on February 15, 2019 to become part of the positive change in our city’s future.

Event Program

The Study Gold Coast Employability Symposium 2019 will examine the latest research findings, identify global trends and provide you with the knowledge and tools to navigate the future of work, education and the career opportunities of tomorrow. The symposium will provide practical skills for teachers, institutions, businesses and the public sector to meet the challenges of the new work order.

Time

Program

08:30 - 09:00

Registration Open

09:00 - 09:15

Official Opening

Alfred Slogrove, CEO Study Gold Coast

09:15 - 10:10

Workforce for Future Gold Coast

Andrew Dempster, Director, KPMG

10:10 - 10:45

Morning Tea

10:45 – 11:40

Keynote Address

Shannon Fentiman, Minister for Employment and Small Business and Minister for Training and Skills Development.

Keynote Speakers

In bringing together the education and training sector, government and the business community, the Study Gold Coast Employability Symposium 2019 will analyse the current employment landscape of the Gold Coast by utilising the very latest data to identify the city's skill shortages.

In doing so we'll create a roadmap that will align the education and training sector with the Gold Coast's future employability needs.

Workforce for Future Gold Coast.

Presented by Andrew Dempster, Director – Education Lead, KPMG

The Health and Knowledge Employability and Workforce Strategy Project is a collaborative initiative between the Gold Coast Health and Knowledge Precinct (GCHKP), Study Gold Coast and Regional Development Australia Gold Coast.

The purpose of the project is to better understand the landscape of employability and future workforce on the Gold Coast. KPMG will present the report findings and recommendations to support the development of an action plan towards the growth of the city’s workforce capability and improve graduate outcomes into the future.

Launched in November 2018, the Anticipating Future Skills project aims to assist industries and regions with uncertainty arising from the changing world of work, by combining a number of plausible future scenarios with economic modelling to 2022.

Jobs Queensland has worked with stakeholders around the state to consider how their industry, occupation or region might be affected under different circumstances. The project’s final report, Anticipating Future Skills: Jobs growth and alternative futures for Queensland to 2022 is crucial information for businesses, employers, workers and communities. This presentation will feature project findings specific to the Gold Coast region.

FOUNDATION FOR YOUNG AUSTRALIANS – NEW WORK ORDER

Presented by Alex Snow, Head of Research, Foundation for Young Australians (FYA)

At FYA, young people aren’t a problem to be helped or solved. Young people are ambitious, creative and capable of rethinking the world and solving tomorrow’s problems today. Launched in 2015, FYA’s New Work Order research series encompasses six reports.

To date, their research has revealed the implications of a changing world of work for young Australians and how to best prepare the next generation for a more technology driven, globalised and increasingly flexible workforce. Learn how we can shake up our approach to education, work and life to ensure young people are ready to thrive, not just survive, in this future.

INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION: BROADENING YOUR BUSINESS HORIZONS

Presented by IEAA (International Education Association of Australia)

As Australia’s third largest export, the international education sector is worth more than $30 billion to the economy each year and supports more than 130,000 jobs. International students are a valuable – and largely untapped – resource for Australian employers.

International students and graduates can help diversify your organisation, enhance cultural capital and expand international networks. This presentation will provide insights for any employers who wish to explore engaging with international students – as part of a mentoring program, work-integrated learning placement, internship or graduate role.

TALENT FOR BUSINESS GROWTH

Presented by Alfred Slogrove, CEO Study Gold Coast

Engagement between industry and the education and training sector is critical to ensure the Gold Coast is producing work-ready graduates to become the next generation of leaders driving our economy.

Workshops

Workshops at the symposium will be hosted by YLab - the youth oriented social enterprise solving complex problems with new ways of thinking; as well as Queensland’s International Education & Training Innovators in Residence Beau Leese and Nannette Ripmeester.

Click the icons below for an overview of what each workshop will entail. You will be required to register for your preferred workshop when purchasing your ticket.

YLAB

This workshop will focus on the practical application of FYA's research through the introduction of FYA’s YLab initiative.

YLab projects are led by YLab Associates – young people who bring multidisciplinary skills, future-focused ideas and different lived experiences to the challenges being explored. So far, 65 diversely talented YLab Associates have collaborated with 27 innovative partners on more than 50 problem solving projects.

See how YLab places young people at the centre of re-generating institutions in every sector and every system.

Creating Market Ready Graduates for Tomorrow

This workshop is aimed at professionals within the education and training sector and will support participants to identify areas for improvement in consideration of the future of work research.

Participants will be given practical solutions to incorporate into teaching and employability support to align with our changing workforce needs. As one of Queensland’s International Education & Training Innovator’s in Residence, Nannette will share her expertise in labour mobility, with an emphasis on graduate recruitment and solutions for international labour mobility.

Education Sector Engagement for Innovative Business Solutions

This workshop, targeted at the business community, will assist participants to identify practical solutions to adapt to the changing workforce and skills requirements. It will enhance your ability to better understand your workforce capability and identify innovative project opportunities that promote business growth through engagement with the education and training sector.

As one of Queensland’s International Education & Training Innovator’s in Residence, Beau is developing an ambitious state-wide 5-year Employability Strategy for Queensland and analysing the scalability of employability programs on the Gold Coast. A key focus of his work will be to identify the most effective scalable solutions to enhance engagement between the education and training sector and the business community.